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The Northern Territory Health Professional Review Tribunal has determined an appeal against a decision of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia to impose conditions on the registration of nurse, Peter Savage. The tribunal substituted a new decision to replace the Board’s decision.

After receiving a notification about Mr Savage’s performance and health, the Board arranged for him to undergo independent performance and health assessments.

The Board imposed conditions requiring direct supervision after the performance assessors found that Mr Savage wasn’t performing at an acceptable level and the health assessor concluded that he suffered from a mild cognitive deficit. The Board also required Mr Savage to undergo further assessment by a neurologist.

In his appeal to the tribunal, Mr Savage argued that the Board’s performance assessment was unfair as it didn’t reflect the remote environment he had practised in for the past 20 years, and the context in which his performance had been questioned. Mr Savage also argued that he had not applied himself fully in the health assessment, a view supported by the assessing practitioner.

At the tribunal’s request, the Board arranged another performance assessment in a remote setting, which found that Mr Savage was competent to practise. The assessment found no evidence of a neurological problem but recommended a repeat assessment by a cognitive psychologist be conducted in 12 to 18 months.

The tribunal removed the conditions imposed by the Board requiring direct supervision, and instead imposed conditions requiring Mr Savage to undergo another health assessment in six months.